The first ISO regional training course 2026 was successfully held in Qingdao recently, under the guidance of the National Standardization Administration of China (SAC), hosted by the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government, and co-organized by ISO and the Qingdao Institute of Standardization.

The training focused on the development of national standardization strategies, to enhance the capacities of participating countries in developing such strategies and expand the pool of standardization professionals applying ISO methodologies. Erich Kieck, Head of the Capacity Building Unit at the ISO Central Secretariat, and Zhang Yongyan, Director of the Qingdao Administration for Market Regulation, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Erich Kieck noted that ISO has developed a long-term action plan for developing countries, and that Qingdao, as an important partner of ISO, has been actively supporting the implementation of this plan, making significant contributions to strengthening global standardization capacity. A team of senior experts from ISO gave lectures covering ISO methodologies for national standardization strategy development and the latest progress in this area. A total of 21 participants attended the four-day training, including representatives of standardization bodies from nine countries, including Morocco, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, and Peru, alongside representatives from domestic research institutes and enterprises.

During the training, the ISO expert team also held meetings with officials from SAMR (SAC), as well as representatives from relevant local institutions. In addition, they conducted exchange sessions with representatives from several local enterprises, offering one-on-one guidance on international standardization and talent cultivation.

This training not only strengthened the capacities of participating countries in developing standardization strategies, but also served as a platform for the deep integration of international experience and Chinese practice.